Channel Button

There are 44 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #19 by Helium's members.

Computers & Technology   >

Operating Systems

Reviews of Windows Vista

by Noah C

RC2 of Vista Ultimate is a good indication of what we might expect in the final release.

I have been following the releases of Windows Vista Ultimate since the initial beta offering and have focussed on the 32 bit editions as they are more compatible with current hardware and present less driver installation issues.

With the advent of RC2, apparently the final pre-release before the Release to Manufacturers and then us the public, we are seeing the final culmination of the features that microsoft wants to present in their latest addition to the Windows lineup.

Firstly, the installation of this release was a lot faster than previous editions and went without hitch. As soon as windows was installed the welcome center appeared to guide me through the features, and more importantly windows update kicked in and grabbed not only security updates, but also the latest drivers for my hardware, making the install complete and ready to roll.

The first thing you will notice (if you have a reasonably modern graphics card) is the great new look of Vista. Some examples would be of course the much bandied about "Aero" theme and transparent windows/fade effects etc. Also the 3D window switcher is nice, if eye candy is your thing. One new feature that not only looks great but is actually usefull is the thumbnail feature, whereby you can hover your mouse over your taskbar items and it will give you a realtime look at what's going on in that window, great if you want to see the progress of a download at a glance, or to see the progress of a web page etc ithout having to open it up...cool! The new sidebar is also quite slick, with a similar feel to widgets (Konfabulator) with some nice 'gadgets' pre-installed and others available on the web. You could have the time, date and CPU Usage on your desktop, or your itunes collection, or stocks, there is pretty much something for everyone here.

Apart from that, the functionality is similar to windows XP, but slightly rounded, ie some features are not as 'visible' e.g. you cannot see the progress of a defrag etc. and the new UAC (User Account Control) is a regular pain in the....... this feature basically asks you to confirm runnig any unknown program, installing any driver and is a regular pain, and is usually switched off almost immediately. This 'optional' feature has become more easily accessible this time round, and can be found in security centre.

The new security centre is much like XP's security centre, with


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Reviews of Windows Vista

  • 1 of 44

    by Maneesha Srivastava

    We often wonder if we are getting the most out of our computers, especially as we sit drumming our fingers waiting fo... read more

  • 2 of 44

    by Jillian Zabelin

    THIS IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Unless you are an early-technology adopter with a stomach for un-explained errors and e... read more

  • 3 of 44

    by Bob Unruh

    To Vista or Not To Vista The new Windows Vista operating system(OS) has some nice features. But before you upgrad... read more

  • 4 of 44

    by Anmol Gul

    Whether you're a home PC user interested in simply surfing the Web or a multi-national corporation desiring secure co... read more

  • 5 of 44

    by Jason Shelley

    The Beginning of the End.... There are several excellent reasons most of us are completely uninterested, if not ... read more

View All Articles on:
Reviews of Windows Vista

Add your voice

Know something about Reviews of Windows Vista?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

What do you know about?
  • Tell us! Get published today.
  • Reach millions.
  • Many ways to earn.
Join Helium Today

Already a member? Log in.

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Will Internet Explorer 8 solve Microsoft's Web browser problems?

Click for your side. Must be logged in.

91818

Featured Partner

Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment (FREE)

FREE advances conservation and environmental values by applying modern science and America's founding ideals to polic...more

What is Helium? | User Guide | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA